
Dr Havilah Dharamraj entered SAIACS as an MA student in 1999, on the completion of which she went on to doctoral studies as a faculty trainee. She returned in 2006 to full-time employment as faculty. She became Head of the Department of Old Testament in 2008 and also served as an Academic Dean from 2012 to 2019. She currently serves as a HoD of Biblical Studies….
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Her area of specialization is Old Testament narrative, from which springs her interest to help students recover the art of storytelling as a tool for ministry. She works with reception-centred intertextuality (reading biblical texts side by side) and comparative literature (reading biblical texts alongside on-Christian sacred texts). Long years of teaching have led to a keen interest in innovative, learner-centred pedagogy and assessment strategies. Dr Havilah taught high school chemistry for about a decade before she commenced her theological education. She preaches and teaches on invitation both within and outside India, including at the Keswick Convention in Keswick, UK. She has been on the Committee for Bible Translation, NIV, and is currently on the committee of another English translation. She writes for academia, for the training of Christian laypersons and those in ministry, and for popular Christian publications. Dr Havilah is currently working on two projects, a South Asia Study Bible, and a comparative reading of the Song of Songs with the twelfth-century Hindu sacred text, Gita Govinda. Forthcoming in 2019 is Ruth in the Asia Bible Commentary Series, which is published by the Asia Theological Association, Manila, Philippines. Dr Havilah has written, edited, and contributed to numerous additional works, including, Altogether Lovely: A Thematic and Intertextual Reading of the Song of Songs (Minneapolis, Minn: Fortress, 2018); Challenging Tradition: Innovation in Advanced Theological Education (Perry Shaw and Havilah Dharamraj, eds., Carlisle, UK: Langham Global Library, 2018; contributed: “Boldly Go! Tracking Trends in Comparative Literature” and “Telling Tales: Stories that Embox Theology”); South Asia Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2015; OT editor; contributed articles, “Introduction to the Old Testament,” “Introduction to the Historical Books,” and “Introduction to Hebrew Poetry”; contributed the books: Judges, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles); and A Prophet Like Elijah? A Narrative-Theological Reading of the Elijah Cycle (Paternoster Biblical Monographs Series; UK: Paternoster, 2011). Selected articles written by Dr Havilah include, “Green-Eyed Lovers: A Study of Jealousy in Song of Songs 8:5-7” (Priscilla Papers, 32.1, 2018); “We Reap What We Sow: Engaging Curriculum and Context in Theological Education” (Evangelical Review of Theology, 38/4, 2014); and “The Idea of the Idyll: Why it may not Work for the Song of Songs” (Expository Times, 124/9, 2013). Dr Havilah is married to Pandu Dharamraj. They have two married children and a grandson. Education

Dr Arun is a professor of Hinduism and Head of the Department of Inter Cultural and Religious Studies . He is also the Convenor of SAIACS’ MA (TS) and PhD (Theology) programmes under the University of Mysore Prior to joining SAIACS, Dr Arun served with Indian Evangelical Mission (IEM), a cross-cultural mission work in India and abroad…. Currently, Dr Arun serves as Catalyst for Hinduism of the Lausanne Movement. He is also a contextual editor for India commentary on the New Testament published by Primalogue. Dr Arun has authored numerous articles, including, “Poverty and the Poor in the Hindu, Jain and Sikh Religions of India” (Poverty and the Poor in the World’s Religious Traditions, Publisher: abc.clio, January 2019); “Christian Bhakti” (South Asia Bible Commentary, Zondervan, 2015); “Religious art and Symbolism” (South Asia Bible Commentary, Zondervan, 2015); “The Cognitive models among Hindus at popular level and Christian approaches” (Journal of India Missions Association, 2015); “Karma and Fatalism” (South Asia Bible Commentary, Zondervan, 2015); and “The Cognitive models among Hindus at popular level and Christian approaches” (Journal of India Missions Association, 2015). Dr Arun and Sonia attend Church of South India, Kothanur, Bangalore. Areas of Focus Education
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He worked for nine years visiting various mission stations and helping with building projects the missionaries were working on for the nurturing of new believers in faith. After four years with IEM, Dr Arun and his wife, Sonia, were married and based at Outreach Training Institute (OTI) located in a rural setting in Tamil Nadu, bordering Bangalore. Sonia, who has her master’s in psychology and education, helped with missionary training activities for OTI. Both were also involved in leading short-term mission trips to villages around the institute. In 1995, both Dr Arun and his wife had the opportunity to study at SAIACS. They finished their MA studies in Pastoral Theology and Counselling in 1997. Subsequently, IEM and SAIACS entered into a partnership on the basis that they would be trained further and could help both IEM and SAIACS. Dr Arun continues to teach at OTI during some of their missionary training programmes.

Rev Dr Varghese Thomas is a professor and the Head of the Department of Pastoral Theology and Counselling at SAIACS. He joined SAIACS in August 2018. Prior to this, he served as the teaching pastor of New Calvary Church, Chennai, and as faculty at Hindustan Bible Institute and College for more than twenty years. Before joining SAIACS…
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he was also principal of the college for three years. Additionally, he served as the Director of Spiritual Formation and Pastoral Care department with HBI Ministries. Areas of Focus Pastoral and Practical Theology Education
Dr Thomas has published several articles on the topics of professional development of theological educators, intercultural competencies of missional leaders, and on saffronisation of education in India. He has also published study materials for external students (distance education) of Hindustan Bible Institute and College for counseling, education, and ministry courses.
Apart from his many years of experience in pastoral and teaching ministries, he was also closely associated with the work of a national church movement in India (INEC), a leadership training network (LeaderSource), and a curriculum development initiative for Urban Leaders among the poor (MATUL).
Dr Thomas and his wife, Suja, have two children.

Dr Roji George is a New Testament professor and Dean of Students. He is the Specialization Advisor for New Testament under Biblical Studies Department. Prior to joining the SAIACS faculty, Dr Roji served as Assistant Professor of the New Testament at Luther W. New Jr. Theological College, Dehradun (2005-2016)….
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and as the Managing Editor of the Doon Theological Journal (DTJ) from 2008-09 and 2012-16. He started his Christian ministerial role as a grassroots-level village evangelist in Madhya Pradesh in 1996 and later served as the pastor of a Hindi village congregation between 2001-03 and 2012-16. He is an ordained minister of the Indian Pentecostal Church of God in India. Education
Dr Roji has published dozens of academic articles in national and international journals in his area of specialization. He received the J.G. Frank Collison Award for Theological Research (USA, 2014) for his work on Luke’s portrayal of Paul’s mission in Ephesus (Acts 19). Of note, he authored Paul’s Identity in Galatians: A Postcolonial Appraisal (CWI, 2016), and A Commentary on Philippians (ABC Series, Langham Press, 2019). He also edited a volume entitled, The Holy Spirit and Christian Mission in a Pluralistic Context (SAIACS Press, 2017), and co-edited Christian Higher Education in Northern India and Nepal as Revitalization Movement (First Fruit-Asbury Theological Seminary, 2017). He also published an English-Hindi Theological Glossary (NTC, 2006) that is widely used by Hindi theological literature publishers across India. Currently, he is writing a missional reading to Paul’s Thessalonians correspondence (Fortress Press).
Dr Roji is married to Anjana, a high school teacher. They have two daughters, Joanne and Janet. Apart from his involvement in teaching and preaching in the local church, Dr Roji also travels to preach in spiritual revival meetings, and trains pastors and missionaries serving in North Indian mission fields.
Areas of Focus

Dr E.D. Solomon joined SAIACS in June 2016. He is a professor of missiology and the Specilization Advisor for Missiology under Inter Cultural and Religious Studies.
Dr Solomon has written for a number of national and international journals and books. His PhD thesis is published by the ISPCK (2012), titled, Change and continuity: Influences on Self-Identity of Christian Dalits of Madiri Puram Village in South India (1915-2005), and was used as a textbook at Harvard Divinity School….
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Areas of Focus Education
Dr Solomon co-authored a book in Telugu and has contributed many essays. He edited three books in Telugu and has translated two standard works into Telugu. His Krotta Nirnayalu (New Resolutions, 2012) is a collection of his writings over a quarter century addressing the issues of renewing the church. His most-known translation, Matamarpidane chikkumudi (1999), is a translation of Confusion Called Conversion (1994) by Ebenezer Sunderaraj, published by Operation Mobilization, Secunderabad. His forthcoming translation, Mriduvyna Javabu, of The Gentle Answer to the Muslim Accusation of Biblical Falsification (2015), a book by Gordon Nickel, is likely to be published by SAIACS Press.
Dr Solomon received the “Christian Ministry Award” from Union Biblical Seminary (Pune, 1985) with a bronze plaque. He has also received the “Merit Certificate in General Proficiency” in Journalism and Mass Communication (Vellore, 1989).
As an ordained minister of the Mennonite Brethren Church of India, Dr Solomon has served as pastor, Associate Director of Christian Education, Interim Executive Secretary of the MB Board of Evangelism and Church Ministries, and as an editor of Suvartamani, the monthly journal of his conference, for twelve years. His responsibilities also included regional and global church leadership, such as field chairman and secretary to the Maktal-Narayanpet region of Telangana. On the global level, he served for a term as a member on GSF-ICOMB (International Community of Mennonite Brethren).
Dr Solomon and his wife, Premaleela, are blessed with two married daughters and four grandchildren.

Dr Prabhu Singh, Principal of South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) and Professor of Anthropology and Missions, was born and brought up in the southernmost part of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. At the age of 19, he surrendered his life to Christ and at 22, joined Christian ministry. For nearly 25 years, he has served God in various capacities and with different ministries like Evangelical Union (Student Ministry) and Ambassadors for Christ (Itinerant Preaching Evangelist)….
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Education Hobbies
Dr Singh joined SAIACS faculty in 2012. While at SAIACS, he has served as Professor of Anthropology and Missions and Head of the Department of Missions, and was the founding Director of the Centre for Inter-Cultural Studies. In addition to currently being the Principal of SAIACS and Professor of Anthropology and Missions, he also leads one of the largest ongoing research projects in the Global South, “the Exploratory Study on the Emergence of New Christward Movements in North India.”
He is also a consultant for many Indian and other global mission agencies, particularly on issues dealing with gospel and culture, and is a frequent speaker in revival meetings, mission conferences, and seminars in different parts of the world. Dr Singh and his wife Sheeba have been married for 20 years. They have a 9-year-old daughter, Prarthna.
Areas of Focus

Dr Uday Balasundaram joined SAIACS in 2018 as a professor of Intercultural Studies with a special focus on integrating the creative arts, theology, and mission. His doctoral research focused on exploring the process of musical creativity among “indigenous cosmopolitan musicians” for mission, wherein he introduces the concept of creatio Dei as a way for theologising through the arts…
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and developing “new spaces” for creative dialogue with others. His paper, “Creativity and Captivity: Developing a Framework for Exploring the Language of Musical Creativity amongst Indigenous Cosmopolitans [ICMs]” was published by NAIITS (North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies). His paper on “Hybridity and Art-Making for Mission” is due to be published by the Lausanne Global Diaspora Network in 2019…
Dr Uday has a professional background in music composition and guitar performance (Musicians Institute, Los Angeles). He worked in the Bollywood film and Indian advertising industry for several years when he responded to God’s call while working with A. R. Rahman in Chennai. Since then he has served in multiple pastoral and worship leadership roles in churches in India and the US. Dr Uday received his Master of Divinity and doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary. He taught as adjunct at Fuller Seminary’s Houston campus and at Houston Graduate School of Theology. Prior to joining SAIACS, Dr Uday served as a creativity consultant and missions strategist based in Orlando, Florida, US. He is currently an Arts Catalyst with the Lausanne Movement.
Dr Uday’s wife Sujatha is a visual artist, graphic designer, and art teacher specialising in Christian meditative art at www.artresponses.com. They have two beautiful, young daughters, Nadira (11 years) and Aradhya (9 years).

Dr Ernest Clark is Classics Consultant in the Department of New Testament. He joined the SAIACS faculty in 2016. Dr Clark teaches MDiv modules on Greek translation and exegesis, and MTh modules on Historical Contexts of the New Testament, Textual Criticism, and Research Methods. He has developed several modules for SAIACS’s online MA programmes….
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Biblical Interpretation; Gospels; Acts and Paul’s Early Letters; Later Pauline and Other Early Christian Letters; and Apocalyptic Literature. Areas of Focus Education
Dr Clark’s research analyses early Jewish and Christian literary engagement with the thoughts and practices of their broader socio-historical contexts. It attends to the preservation and transformation of traditions as works are composed and edited in intentional interaction with a range of worldviews. He then explores the implications of this trajectory of intercultural dialogue for contemporary discourse in pluralist societies, with particular interest in South Asia.
Dr Clark is a member of the Institute for Biblical Research and of the Society of Biblical Literature. He is a recipient of the University of St Andrew’s 600th Anniversary Scholarship. His book Romans: Really Useful Guides (Abingdon: Bible Reading Fellowship) is forthcoming.
Dr Clark and his wife, Tiffany, have three children.

Dr Varughese John is a professor of theology and has served on SAIACS’ faculty since 2011. He served as Dean of Students from 2012-17 and also as the chair of the publication committee from 2014-18. Currently he serves as the HoD of Theology and History Department…
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Areas of Focus Education Post-doctoral Fellowships:
He received his PhD in 2006 in the area of Kierkegaard studies as a fellow of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research. Before joining SAIACS, he was a post-doctoral Kierkegaard House Foundation Fellow at the Howard and Edna Hong Kierkegaard Library, St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Later, as the Langham International Post-Doctoral Fellow, he spent a year at the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
In addition to Truth and Subjectivity, Faith and History (Pickwick, 2012), he has authored several articles and edited volumes.
He is married to Mary Varughese, who is a psychologist, and they have three children.

Dr Chongpongmeren (Meren Jamir) has been teaching at SAIACS since 2013. He is the Specialization Advisor for History under Theology and History Department. He earlier served with the Union of Evangelical Students of India (UESI) for three years…
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Dr Meren and his wife, Viva, have a daughter named Ochiten. Areas of Focus Education
His research interest is on the intersection of culture and Christian faith, and how it leads to emphasis and innovations in churches. His doctoral dissertation was on influence of culture on the practices of churches in Nagaland.

Dr Yesan Sellan has been serving as Chief Librarian of SAIACS since 2004. Prior to joining SAIACS, he was librarian at Serampore College. He has more than twenty years of experience as a theological librarian. He is responsible for library information services of SAIACS and is coordinator for the Centre for South Asia Research (CSAR)…
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which endeavours to produce indigenous scholarly publications. He successfully completed his PhD in Library and Information Science. Dr. Yesan is the first theological librarian in South Asia with a doctorate. Areas of Focus Education
He has been instrumental in developing the Certificate in Theological Librarianship programme at SAIACS since 2012. He also helped in obtaining researcher awards from the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL) for three SAIACS students. Additionally, he was involved in forming the Campus Life Committee during his four-year tenure as Dean of Students.
He also has been involved in the development of the theological librarians movement in India and he collaborates with global north librarians in India. He has conducted workshops and seminars for theological librarians in South Asia, along with a three-week training and workshop for Nepal theological librarians. In recognition of his contribution to theological librarians in Asia, he was recognised by the ACL as Member of the Month in November 2016.
Formerly, he served as Secretary of Forum of Asian Theological Librarians (ForATL); as Convener of the Joint Library Committee, for which he produced the Union Catalogue, which holds over a quarter million bibliographic records; and as Executive Secretary to the Indian Theological Library Association (ITLA). He also has been a partner liaison of the ACL, as well as a member of the International Theological Librarianship Education Task Force (ITLE) of American Theological Library Association (ATLA), and of DABOH—International Association for Missions Studies (IAMS).
He has published numerous articles, the most recent of which include, “Awareness and Use of Social Media and Cloud Computing Technology among Faculty Members in Theological Institutions in South India” (co-authored with S.A. Sornam, KIIT Journal of Library and Information Management, 2019, 6(1), 36-44); and “Information search strategies among theological faculty members in Tamil Nadu” (co-authored with S.A. Sornam, The Christian Librarian, 2018a, 61(1), 51–67).

Rev Dr G. John Daniel serves as the Academic Dean from April 2020, and also serves as a professor of Intercultural Studies at SAIACS. He committed his life to full-time ministry in 1989, when he began working as an evangelist with children in slums and villages. After completing his MDiv in 1993 and planting an English church in Trichy…
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John went on to earn his MTh (OT) from SAIACS in 1998. After graduation, he started a Bible college for the Assemblies of God in Chennai. He also took charge of the English congregation of New Life Assembly of God, Chennai…. Since that time, he has planted twenty-eight churches in different parts of Tamil Nadu, and was instrumental in starting Tamil Bible schools in London and Copenhagen. He also started a senior citizen’s home and led it for nine years. He spent a three-year stint in Singapore, where he was the senior pastor of Praise Evangelical Church. John has served as an adjunct faculty in several Bible schools and colleges in Europe, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. John’s passion is to train pastors and believers for the work of the Lord. Currently, he oversees five churches. He completed his PhD in Missions in March 2019. He is married to Sylvia, and they have two sons, Yoahann and Jonathan.